Microbial fuel cell (MFC) power outputs are typically limited by diffusion-driven transport of anode reactants. Some sources have reported order of magnitude power increases when sediment pore water is pumped about the anode to achieve a much higher flux of nutrients. (see for example U.S. Pat. No. 8,148,019 to Tender et al.) Though the benefits of active pore water transport for MFCs have been explored, there have been no practical means to operate these pumps without requiring more power than that produced by the MFCs.